West, Texas
About 18 miles north of Waco in McLennan County, the small city of West sits amid the blackland farm country of Central Texas along the Interstate 35 corridor. It is widely known for its Czech heritage, with bakeries along the highway that draw travelers stopping for kolaches, a filled pastry tied to the town's Central European roots. The community retains a strong Czech cultural identity reflected in its churches, halls, and annual observances.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 2,629
- Change from 2020 base
- +2.8%
- Land area
- 1.7 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- McLennan County
Place type, county footprint, and land area use the Census Bureau's January 1, 2025 geography. Population uses Vintage 2025 estimates through July 1, 2025; change compares that estimate with the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Geography file | Population file
Property here runs through the appraisal district and tax office for McLennan County. The homestead exemption, appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level.
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
County context
What to know around West
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around West.
Local History
Waco Grew Up as a Cattle Town on the Chisholm Trail
After the Civil War, Waco became a major cattle crossing point, with hundreds of thousands of cattle driven through town by 1871.
Vehicle Registration
No Annual Safety Inspection Required to Register Your Car
As of January 1, 2025, McLennan County drivers no longer need a safety inspection to renew vehicle registration, but a small replacement fee applies.
County History
McLennan County Was Created in 1850
McLennan County was established in January 1850 and named after Neil McLennan, a Scottish settler who came to Texas in 1835 and moved to the Bosque River area in the 1840s.
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